Connector for conductor wires



Mlfh 4, 1947. J. NlcoLAzzo CONNECTOR FOR CONDUCTOR WIRES Filed Aug. 3, 1945 Patented Mer. 4, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y v 2,416,943 y CONNECTOR FOR CONDUCTOR WIRES John Nicolazzo, Bridgeport, Conn. Application August 3, 1945, Serial No. 608,733

This invention relates to a connector for electrical conductor wires, and has for an object to provide an improved and simplified connector which by simple manipulation will secure the wires together with a grip at least Vas strong as the wires'themselves, so that there is no danger of the wires being pulled from the connector under strain.

It is also an object to provide such a connector in which propei and effective electrical connection is secured without requiring the use of solder.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however,to be understood the device is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a, longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of my improved connector showing it securing together a. pair of conductor wires;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the body or sleeve portion of the connector, looking'from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation and partial longitudinal section of the cap portion of the connector;

Fig. 4 is a top and view of the body or sleeve portion of the connector, and

Fig. 5 is a bottom end view of the cap member of the connector.

My improved connector comprises a body or sleeve member I of any suitable material, preferably of some insulating material, such, for example, as Bakelite or other molded plastic, although it could be made of metal if desired and an insulated structure is not required, and a cap or clamping member II cooperating with the member ID t0 secure and clamp the electrical conductor Wires I2 and hold them against separation under strain and also maintain the proper electrical connection between them. The member i0 comprises a head portion I3 of any suitable shape (in the present case it is shown as round or cylindrical) and a reduced threaded portion lll provided in its side Wall with one 0r more longitudinally extending grooves or channels I opening through its free end I6. Extending longitudinally through this body or sleeve member is a longitudinal opening or passage I1 for the lead Wires I2.

The cap member I I is threaded on its inner 2 Claims. (Cl. 174-87) side walls, asshown at 20, for threaded connection with theithreaded portion I4 of the body and lie over the grooves I5. It preferably comprises an outer cup-shaped portion I8 of suitable insulating material, such as Bakelite or other molded plastic, and encloses a metal lining member including a portion 2'6 at the inner side of its closed end wall. The thread as shown at 20 for engagement with the threaded reduced portion I4 of the body or sleeve member I0, may be formed in the insulating material, but preferably the metal lining member 26 is also extended over the inner sides of the side walls of the cap, as shown at I 9, with the threads 20 formed therein. The outer or insulating portion I8 is molded about the inner metal lining member so that they form a unitary structure, and they preferably are keyed together by some suitable means, such, for

example, as a longitudinal rib 2| on the metal lining member in a corresponding groove in the member I8 to lock them against relative turning movement, and to insure that the inner member will turn with the outer member I8. The outer surfaces 22 of the member I8 and 23 of the member I0 may -be knurled or roughened if desired to improve the grip, or they may be noncircular for the same reason.

-In making the electricalconnection, a desired length of the free ends of the conductor wires are stripped of their insulating covering and then inserted through the longitudinal passage I I from the lower end of the member IIJ, and then the bare ends of the wires are folded over the inner end edge I6 of the threaded portion I4, as shown at 24, and the free ends 25 folded into one or more of the grooves I5. Then the cap member II is threaded onto the portion I4 of the body member to the position shown in Fig. 1 to clamp the metal end wall 2B of the inner member against the exposed portions of the lead wires and also clamp them against the end I6 of the member I0. It also retains the free end portions 25 in the grooves or channels I5. This effectively clamps the lead wires in position, and because of the complete fold of the wire upon itself over the edge of the body member Ill and its clamping in this position against the end of the body member, a grip is produced which is as strong as or stronger than the wire itself, and, there is, therefore, no danger of the Wire being pulled out of lthe connector by a strain on the wire. Also, the clamping of the two ends of the Wires by the inner metal member of the cap produces and maintains the desired electrical connection between the Wires without the necessity of using 3 i solder or similar material. There is-in addition a certain tendency of the free end portions 25 to spring outwardly, due to resiliency in the wires, which tends to hold them against the threads of the cap to further increase the electrical contact. If the body is made of metal it will provide electrical connection between the wires. It will also be seen that this construction permits separation of the wires if desired without the necessity of cutting or breaking the wires or a soldered connection, as all that is necessary is to remove the cap Il, straighten out the folded ends of the conductor Wires and Withdraw them from the body or sleeve member. This device is `also adapted for connecting wires of diierent sizes within the capacity of the grooves or channels l5, and although in Fig. 1 of the drawing the individual wires are shown as folded into different grooves, smaller wires may be folded into the same groove or twisted together before being folded over the end of the body member and into a side groove. Such twisted wires will be clamped by the cap H in the same manner, producing a very effective and tight grip and maintaining the proper electrical connection between the wires.

Both the body and cap members may be `made of single pieces of metal, and then after the wires are connected as described, the connector may be covered With adhesive or electricians tape to insulate the connection. i

It will be seen from the above that .this con.- nector is of Very simple construction, involving a minimum number of parts, and that due to its improved construction and arrangement the leads are effectively gripped and held so that there is no danger of their being withdrawn from the connector if the cap is properly set up and tightened; also that the proper electrical connection between the leads is produced and maintained without the use of solder, and that the operation of so connecting the leads is a very simple one and may be easily and quickly performed.

Having thus. set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A connector for electrical conductor wires comprising a body member of insulating material including an enlarged portion forminga hand grip and a reduced threaded portion, `said body being provided with a longitudinal passage through its length and at least one longitudinal groove in the outer side wall of the reduced portion. leading from its free end, saidv passage adapted to receive a. conductor wire and said groove being adapted to receive the bared free end portion of the wire ,in said passage bent reversely over the end wall of the reduced portion of the body, a, cap of insulating material also 1 forming a hand grip and provided with a socket leading from one end threaded onto said reduced portion over the groove to retain the wire in i the groove, and a metal insert secured in the inner end o! the socket clamped against said wire.

2. A .connector for electrical conductor wires comprisinga body vmember of insulating material including `an enlarged portion forming a hand grip andra threaded reduced portion forming a shoulder between them, said body being provided with a longitudinal passage leading from its outer through its inner end and at least one longitudinal groove in ,the outerside wall of the reduced portion leading from itsfree end adapted to receive the free bared end portion of a wire in said passage Ibent, reversely rover Ithe end wall of the reduced portion of the body, a vcap of insulating material also forming Aa hand grip and provided with a threaded socket leading from one end screwed onto said reduced portion over the groove to retain the wire in the groove, and .a metal insert mounted in the `innerA end of the socket to be clamped against sai'dwire, said cap being of sub# stantially the diameter `of the enlarged portion of the bodyrso that-when screwed `to a position adjacent ;said shoulder it forms a substantial continuation ofrsaid yenlarged portion of the body.

' .JOHN NICOLAZZO.

REFERENCES CITED The `following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED `STATES PATENTS Morris June 17, 1941 

